1. You Can’t Multitask
One of the first signs of a decline in your cognitive health can be struggling to switch between tasks, such as cooking a meal while also holding a conversation with someone. You might notice that you struggle to respond to someone’s comment because you’re still thinking about what to do next in your recipe.
There is a loosening of the sharpness that was once there. The tasks bleed together; you’re not able to focus, and it takes you a bit of time to adjust.
2. You Skip Words in Sentences
We can all jumble up words at times, especially if we’re tired or distracted. However, if you catch yourself regularly skipping over words, it could be a sign of cognitive decline. For example, instead of saying “I’m just going to pop to the shops,” you might come out with “I’m just shops.”
3. You Mix Up Related Words
Regularly mixing up related words is another sign that your cognition isn’t in peak condition.
For example, if you want to say the word “fork,” it should be at the forefront of your mind. But when there is a problem with response inhibition, related words such as “spoon” and “knife” can also float to the surface.
If this part of our cognitive function continues to deteriorate, you may say words that become increasingly distant from the word you meant to say—for example, “plate” or even “train” instead of “fork.” This is a sign that there is misfiring going on in the brain.
4. You Forget to Bring Your Wallet to the Supermarket
If you realize that you need to run to the shop for some milk, your brain quickly comes up with a plan. Where is the nearest shop? How will you get there? Do you have a way of paying?
As you were leaving the house, you failed to maintain one of the key components of the task. Such mental slips become more common as we age and our frontal lobes atrophy.
If this happens occasionally and is not increasing in frequency, it’s nothing to worry about. I have been known to drive to the supermarket and walk home, forgetting that I’ve left the car because I’ve been busy thinking about other things.
However, if it happens more and more often, you might want to consider seeing your GP. It could be an early sign of dementia.
5. Needing to Go Around the Store Multiple Times to Find What You Are Looking For
Forgetting what you need from the shop and struggling to find the items you want to buy are signs of cognitive decline.
You rely on your short-term memory to remember what you need from the shop and your spatial memory (the ability to understand where you are in relation to your surroundings) to be able to find the products you need.
If this part of your cognitive health is deteriorating, you may find yourself walking up and down the same aisles many times because you’ve forgotten which you’ve already been down.
